Andre Johnson

Extra Points: Jets, Johnson, Saints

Let’s check out some assorted NFL notes to wrap up this Friday evening…

Andre Johnson Unlikely To Hold Out

Andre Johnson‘s frustration with the Texans’ organization has been well documented. The star receiver has made it very clear that he has no interest in returning to the team to endure another rebuilding era, and has asked to be traded out of Houston.

Johnson has been linked to a handful of teams as a trade destination throughout the course of this offseason, including the Jets, Colts, Browns, Patriots, Panthers, and Chiefs. However, Johnson’s $10MM salary in 2014 limits his options as teams have already pressed themselves up against the cap.

Johnson has already skipped the team’s mandatory minicamp, a move that caused him to forfeit a $1MM roster bonus, in addition to the nearly $70,000 fine incurred for missing the time.

The Texans have displayed zero interest in moving the best player in the brief history of the franchise, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon. The unfortunate truth for Johnson is that the organization holds all the cards in this standoff.

If Johnson were to try to hold out of training camp, or even the beginning of the regular season, the financial penalties would be tremendous, according to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. The Texans’ organization could fine their star up to $30,000 per day of training camp missed, which is no small change even for a star of Johnson’s size.

The scarier thought is the money from Johnson’s signing bonus that the team could try to recoup. Corry explains:

Under the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), teams can recoup 15 percent of the prorated amount of a signing bonus on the sixth day of a training camp holdout. It’s one percent for each additional missed day with a maximum of 25 percent of the prorated amount during training camp. An additional 25 percent can be recovered with the first missed regular season game. After four missed weeks, a team can recover one-seventeenth of the prorated amount for each additional week of the player’s absence. The maximum a team can recover in a season is the entire prorated amount of the player’s signing bonus in that contract year.

This number could be compounded should Johnson decide to holdout, and would prove extremely costly. This is especially true because when Johnson restructured his contract three times to allow the Texans more breathing room under the salary cap, he turned $18.5MM of his base salary numbers into a signing bonus. This is significant because a team cannot go after a player’s already paid salary, but they have the right to try to go after signing bonus money in the event that the player is unwilling to perform.

Other players who restructured their big money contracts, were sure to include language that would prevent the team from going after that money, since it was converted from salary into a signing bonus. In this scenario, the player can help their team create some cap room without directly putting their own money in jeopardy. Johnson failed to include any of this protective language in his restructure.

Because of that, Johnson is in a position to lose a huge amount of money if he continues to fail to reports during training camp. If he had protected his signing bonus, he would be currently in danger of losing less than $500,000 in prorated bonus money at the most, plus game checks for every week he did not play, if it came to that. Now that maximum number has ballooned to nearly $4.45MM. A six day training camp holdout will cost him over $111,000 per day, rather than just over $70,000 total for six days.

Johnson even lost the leverage of a potential retirement, not that this was a realistic scenario anyway. But due to the contract language, he would owe the Texans more than $11.36MM in the event that the receiver retired before the season. Once again, had he protected his signing bonus during the restructures, he would owe less than $1MM if he decided to retire prematurely.

Financially, Johnson has nothing going for him if he wanted to force his way out of Houston. He can ask for all the trades he wants, but if the team is not willing, he will have to show up for work all season, as unhappy as he is with the direction of the team.

Texans Don’t Plan To Trade Andre Johnson

While it’s not clear if he has lodged a formal trade request with the Texans, Andre Johnson appears to be hoping for a deal before the regular season, as Ian Rapoport detailed in a story for NFL.com yesterday. Although Rapoport suggested there were four teams with interest in acquiring the star wideout, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle says the Texans don’t intend to move Johnson anytime soon.

According to McClain, the Texans would like to see Johnson eventually retire with the club, and the team doesn’t want to set a precedent for future situations where a player may be unhappy with his contract or his role. In McClain’s view, the standoff between the two sides can only end in two ways: Johnson will either report to the team in time for its Week 1 opener against the Redskins, or he’ll sit out the season. And McClain thinks the latter scenario is very unlikely, considering the receiver, who turns 33 today, would forfeit about $588K in salary per missed game.

While there has been speculation that Johnson is unhappy with the team’s quarterback situation and doesn’t want to go through another rebuilding year, McClain dismisses these notions, suggesting that the Texans – who don’t believe they’re in rebuild mode – have never had a star quarterback and Johnson has been just fine up until this point. That may be true, but the former third overall pick is clearly unhappy with the team for some reason, and I suspect it’s not just because of a dispute over his $1MM bonus.

Despite McClain’s confidence that Johnson will eventually report to the Texans, Rapoport suggests (via Twitter) that he’d be “surprised” if that happens, assuming the Texans don’t make any sort of concessions. With both sides apparently digging in as training camp nears, it’ll be interesting to see whether a compromise can be reached, or whether the issue will drag into August and perhaps even September.

Latest On Andre Johnson

The quiet period in the NFL calendar got a little more interesting today, when Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that Andre Johnson wants the Texans to trade him, and that there are four teams with interest in making a deal for the wide receiver. Since that story broke, a number of writers have suggested, via Twitter or in columns of their own, that Houston won’t be inclined to move Johnson because a trade would result in nearly $12MM in dead money on the team’s cap.

While I agree that a trade is unlikely, pointing to the potential dead money on Houston’s cap as the primary reason the club would prefer to keep him seems a little off to me. Since it’s after June 1, only $4.64MM of that dead money would count against the team’s cap in 2014, with the remainder ($7.32MM) being applied to 2015’s cap. Those are significant numbers for a player no longer on the roster, but Johnson’s cap hits if he remains a Texan are much higher — $14MM+ this season and $16MM+ in 2015. Trading Johnson would actually open up cap room this year and next for the club. It would just mean that a larger percentage of cap space is being committed to a veteran no longer on the club.

Trading Johnson wouldn’t be the best way for the Texans to manage their cap. But if the team could get a decent asset, such as a future draft pick or two, without taking on a sizable contract in return, there’s no reason why the club shouldn’t explore the possibility, regardless of that dead money. I just don’t think the Texans will get an offer at this point in the NFL year that makes a deal worth their while. We’ll have to wait and see how the situation plays out.

Here’s the latest on the Johnson situation:

  • A source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter) that Johnson would restructure his contract to help a potential new team get under the salary cap but will not take a pay cut. Meanwhile, Rapoport (on Twitter) sees the Raiders as a possible landing spot if Johnson would greenlight a deal to Oakland since he shares an agent with GM Reggie McKenzie.
  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via these Twitter links) throws cold water on the idea that the Patriots can land Johnson in a trade with the Texans. The Pats are currently $6.4MM under the cap, Johnson will earn a $10MM base, and trading Danny Amendola will add $2.25MM to the Pats’ cap. So, unless Johnson agrees to a heavily backloaded new contract, it’s not a likely pairing. The Pats can clear come space by cutting Dan Connolly and extending Devin McCourty and Stephen Gostkowski, but that’s a lot work to do before dealing for Johnson.
  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears a similar story to what Rapoport reported earlier today — after meeting with the Texans‘ new coaching staff and being reassured that the club wasn’t in full rebuild mode, Johnson had been willing to report to OTAs and minicamp this spring in order to receive his $1MM bonus. However, because the bonus hinged on the 32-year-old’s full participation in offseason activities, the Texans turned down that request. If there’s a rational explanation for why the team wasn’t willing to pay that $1MM to mend the fences and allow Johnson to save face, it “has yet to make its way into the eyes and ears of the media,” writes Florio.
  • In his full story on Johnson from this morning, Rapoport noted that the wideout feels he has earned a measure of goodwill from the Texans, since he has restructured his contract three times at the team’s behest. That’s part of the reason why he’s upset about the $1MM slight. Of course, as Brian McIntyre points out, none of those three restructures – which saw a total of $18.5MM in salary or roster bonuses converted into signing bonuses – involved pay cuts, so it’s not as if Johnson was making huge sacrifices (Twitter links).
  • Florio and NFL.com’s Marc Sessler both ran through a list of potential suitors for Johnson, should the Texans start to seriously explore trades. Predictably, there’s plenty of overlap, with the Browns, Ravens, Patriots, Panthers, and Chiefs showing up in both pieces. Florio also identifies the Falcons, Chargers, and Rams as possibilities, while Sessler names the Seahawks and Jets.

Andre Johnson Hoping For Trade

Longtime Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson wasn’t in attendance at the team’s spring workouts and camp, but remains open to the possibility of attending training camp later this month. Johnson told NFL Media’s Marcus Smith on Wednesday that he’ll “hopefully” be present when Houston’s training camp gets underway, though he didn’t commit to anything, and didn’t make any promises about being in uniform for the club’s regular season opener.

“I don’t know. I can’t answer that question,” Johnson replied when asked about that Week 1 game against the Redskins.

Johnson, who turns 33 tomorrow, expressed frustration earlier this year with the Texans’ direction and his role with the team. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the $1MM workout bonus lost by Johnson due to his absence this spring is currently a point of contention between the Texans and the receiver, who wants an opportunity to earn that money back. The team has denied that request, according to Rapoport.

Of course, Johnson’s absence from spring workouts was a result of earlier dissatisfaction, so the bonus money isn’t the only roadblock. It’s believed that Johnson is upset with the club’s 2-14 performance last year and the fact that the quarterback situation remains uncertain — after trading Matt Schaub to Oakland, the Texans signed Ryan Fitzpatrick and drafted Tom Savage, two signal-callers who aren’t exactly viewed as Super Bowl caliber options at this point in their respective careers. As he enters the late stages of his career, Johnson isn’t enthusiastic about going through another rebuilding process with a team that hasn’t been a consistent contender in the AFC during his tenure.

Per Rapoport (via Twitter), Johnson has informed Houston that he wants to play for another team in 2014, and the former third overall pick is “not thinking of the Texans” as he works out independently now. Rapoport adds that four clubs have expressed interest in trading for the receiver, who is coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons. Still, it’s hard to imagine the Texans agreeing to a deal that would likely result in pennies on the dollar for Johnson, unless they felt they had no other options.

I’d expect the Texans will lay out their plan for returning to playoff contention in the short term – and perhaps promise to address Johnson’s situation via a trade or extension during the 2015 offseason – and hope that’s enough to convince the star wideout to return to the field for the coming season. Rapoport suggests (via Twitter) that the team could also guarantee Johnson he’ll be on the roster in 2015 and can retire a Texan. That would give him the opportunity to earn his full $10.5MM base salary during his age-34 season.

For now, the two sides appear to be at an impasse. If Johnson decides not to report to training camp, the Texans will be able to fine him up to $30K for each missed day.

Poll: Most Intriguing NFL Storyline?

Minicamps have wrapped up around the NFL and there’s a bit of a lull prior to training camp. Nevertheless, there are still a number of intriguing stories to focus on.

There’s the Jimmy GrahamSaints standoff, where the two sides are haggling over the player’s position. The Saints slapped the franchise tag on Graham as a tight end, thus assuring him a $7.035MM contract. Considering Graham’s production at the position, the player’s side wanted him designated as a wideout. The difference in salary is significant – Graham would receive $12.312MM as a receiver. A resolution is expected sometime next week.

On the morning after the NBA Draft, Cleveland’s focus isn’t as much on number-one pick Andrew Wiggins. Instead, all eyes are on Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel. The former Heisman winner has been stealing headlines for his off-the-field antics, leading some to question whether he can lead the team to their first playoff appearance since 2002. Manziel addressed his critics earlier today, claiming he wasn’t going to change for anybody.

Wide receiver Andre Johnson remains on the Texans roster, even after he expressed his frustration with the team and skipped the mandatory minicamp. It appears that Johnson wants out of Houston, but plenty of obstacles stand in his way. The wideout has three years remaining on his contract and the team doesn’t seem in any rush to trade their disgruntled star.

Or maybe you’re most interested in the saga surrounding the Redskins. The organization recently lost the trademark on the team’s name, with the U.S. Patent Office declaring that the word is “disparaging to Native Americans” and can’t be trademarked under federal law. However, owner Dan Snyder has not relented on his support for the name.

What do you think is the most intriguing NFL storyline at the end of minicamp? Is there something we forgot? Let us know in the comments.

Andre Johnson Will Skip Mandatory Minicamp

Andre Johnson won’t be in attendance at the Texans’ mandatory minicamp this week, the wideout’s advisor and uncle Andre Melton tells Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. According to Smith, Melton’s comments today confirmed that Johnson and the Texans remain “at odds,” with no immediate end in sight for the standoff. With training camp several weeks away, Melton says the Houston receiver has yet to determine whether or not he’ll extend his holdout into July and August.

“We’ll evaluate it in a month or so and see what’s going on,” Melton said.

As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes (via Twitter), Johnson forfeited a $1MM roster bonus by skipping the Texans’ OTAs, so by comparison, the fine for missing this week’s minicamp “is peanuts.”

Johnson made his frustration public for the first time last month, wondering aloud if Houston was still the place for him after the club’s disastrous 2013 campaign and suggesting that he likely wouldn’t attend June’s OTAs or minicamp. The longtime Texan, who will turn 33 in July, added that the offseason had been “very frustrating,” and expressed some unhappiness that the team continues to cycle through coaches and quarterbacks.

It’s not clear what sort of resolution we can expect between Johnson and the Texans. There are still three years remaining on the wideout’s current contract, and he hasn’t indicated that he wants to renegotiate that deal. A trade to a contender is one possibility, but Houston doesn’t appear amenable to that idea, and in any case, many potential trade partners have filled their rosters and no longer have cap space to take on a player who is set to earn a $10MM base salary in 2014.

Latest On Potential Holdouts

We won’t know for sure until the Niners‘ minicamp officially gets underway tomorrow, but based on his latest comments and a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, it appears that Vernon Davis won’t be present in Santa Clara. While Davis is one notable veteran who may be absent from his club’s minicamp in the hopes of negotiating a new contract, he’s not the only one. Rapoport (Twitter link) also has updates on a few more players who are believe to be unhappy with their current situations for one reason or another, so let’s round them up….

  • Marshawn Lynch still hasn’t informed the Seahawks of his plans, says Rapoport. We heard last week that the running back is seeking a new contract and that the team is at least preparing for the possibility that he won’t be in attendance this week. The prospect of retirement was even mentioned, though I’d be very surprised if that becomes a real possibility.
  • According to Rapoport, the Texans don’t expect Andre Johnson to attend the club’s minicamp. It’s not clear if Johnson wants a new contract — his frustration seems to be more a result of Houston’s poor 2013 season and concerns about the team’s direction heading into the ’14 campaign.
  • Despite persistent rumblings that he wants to retire, the Cowboys anticipate Kyle Orton will be present at their camp. Per Rapoport (Twitter link), Dallas has long been optimistic that the No. 2 quarterback will show up because the team will look to recoup a portion of his signing bonus if he opts to retire. Privately, Orton continues to weigh the decision, according to Rapoport.

Extra Points: Thomas, Jaguars, Sanders

Cornerback Terrell Thomas played 16 games for the Giants in 2013, proving that his torn ACL was long behind him. However, the 29-year-old has yet to find a team for next season and he’s blaming it in on his past injury.

Thomas took to SiriusXM NFL Radio and told hosts Alex Marvez and Zig Fracassi his thoughts on front offices’ hesitation to sign him (hat tip to ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio):

“I understand that,” Thomas said, “but I played in 18 games last year, and I’ve still got tread left on these tires.

This NFL game is not loyal. It’s a part of business. I understand it and I respect it. As a veteran, I’m a plug-in starter. I don’t need to go through OTAs, through minicamps to get reps… I can go in and play right now. So I’ll be ready whenever my number’s called, whenever the right team picks me. All I need is one team to love me. All I need is one team to give me an opportunity. My play speaks for itself.”

Following the Lions release of Chris Houston on Friday, Florio guesses that Thomas’ next destination will be Detroit.

Let’s see what else is going on around the NFL…

  • The Jaguars do have some aging veterans on the roster, but ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco doesn’t envision any of them being on the roster bubble. Nonetheless, he mentions that defensive ends Jason Babin and Tyson Alualu and defensive backs Mike Harris and Chris Prosinski will be pushed by young players.
  • DiRocco would also be “very surprised” if wide receiver Ace Sanders didn’t make the Jaguars roster. Coming off a 50-catch season, Sanders would only stand to lose his roster spot if he continues to be “average” as a punt returner.
  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe takes a quick look at some holdout candidates, mentioning Texans wideout Andre Johnson, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, and 49ers tight end Vernon Davis and guard Alex Boone.

Extra Points: Incognito, FAs, Finley, Patriots

In the wake of last year’s bullying scandal, Richie Incognito has predictably had trouble finding NFL work. As Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report writes, the offensive lineman’s reps have been contacting teams over the last few weeks and months, but there has been virtually no interest. Said one general manager: “He’s trying to get back in the game, but the door remains shut. No one trusts him.”

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • A pair of veteran free agents, offensive tackle Eric Winston and cornerback Drayton Florence, are expected to make visits next week to unidentified clubs with interest, reports Alex Marvez of Fox Sports. As Marvez notes, interest in unsigned veterans should pick up around the league next week, when June 1 passes and free agents are no longer linked to compensatory draft picks.
  • A source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com that Jermichael Finley‘s meeting with the Packers is a “formality.” The free agent tight end had previous plans to travel to Green Bay with his family, so he’ll check in with team doctors, but no medical clearance, contract signing, or even testing is anticipated, according to Demovsky’s source.
  • The Patriots and the representatives for Aaron Hernandez have a June hearing scheduled to go before an arbitrator as the team attempts to recoup the former tight end’s signing bonus money, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
  • General manager Jim Popp of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes confirmed today to Eric Edholm of Yahoo! Sports that former Bengals star Chad Johnson has received his work permit to play in Canada and is “at camp as we speak.”
  • Following up on Chris Johnson‘s Twitter plea for the Jets to acquire Andre Johnson, Brian Costello of the New York Post takes a look at a few reasons why trading for the Texans wideout could make sense for the Jets, as well as several reasons why it may not work.